


Home for the Holidays

by crazytogether11



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-18 03:17:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,194
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21920926
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crazytogether11/pseuds/crazytogether11
Summary: Max is in for a big surprise at the Wheeler's Christmas party.*a corny Lumax Christmas story
Relationships: Maxine "Max" Mayfield/Lucas Sinclair
Comments: 3
Kudos: 29





	Home for the Holidays

Max raced to the phone. She struggled to pick it up from the kitchen wall as her heartbeat increased steadily, filling with excitement. She had been waiting all day for him to call, and could hardly control herself when she practically screamed into the phone.

“Hey!” Max said excitedly.

“Hi?” Eleven replied.

Max groaned. “I thought you were Lucas.”

“Sorry Max, I didn’t know he was supposed to call today.”

“It’s alright, what do you need?”

“I wanted to know if you’re going to make it for the Christmas party on Saturday,” El said. 

“I’ll be there.” Max replied shortly.

“Great! Sorry again for calling.”

“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. See you Saturday!”

“Bye!”

Max hung up the phone and sat at the kitchen table. Lucas had been deployed for about a year now. On his last call he told her he could be back by Christmas and that he’d let her know for sure by this week. 

Max rest her head in her arms on the table until she heard cooing sounds on the baby monitor. Her frown turned into a wide smile as she got up to soothe her young daughter.

She walked into her room. The walls were painted a light, soft yellow. An oak crib stood across from the window. Max quietly called out for her daughter.

“Shh...Zoey, I’m here.” Max reached into the crib to pick up her wailing baby. Max’s heart melted every time Zoey stretched her arms out to her as she picked her up.

She was born four months into Lucas’s deployment. Max was devastated that he wouldn’t get to be there for her birth. Luckily, she had her mom to be there at her side and support her in his place. Zoey rest her head on Max’s shoulder as she walked to the kitchen.

She carefully placed Zoey in her high chair and strapped her in with the black straps. Holly started to cry once again from their loss of contact.

“One minute.” Max said to her as she grabbed a jar of peach baby food from the cabinet and tied a bib around her neck.

She sat by the high chair and unscrewed the jar. Using a spoon, she scooped up some of the orangeish mush. 

“Here comes the airplane!” 

Zoey took a bite of the peaches, spitting out half of it around her lips. Max used the spoon and scraped it off her lips and fed it to her. Max made a silly face as she gave Zoey more baby food. She giggled happily, allowing Max to get another spoonful into her mouth. 

* * *

Max kept on waiting for a phone call. She had been waiting for Lucas to call since Monday, and now it was Saturday, the day of Mike and El’s Christmas party. Though she was worried about Lucas, she promised El she would come and didn’t want to let her down. After putting on a simple red sweater and a pair of jeans, she put Zoey in her carseat and backed out of the driveway.

Max dropped off Zoey to her mom, Susan’s, house and drove to the Wheeler home. The house was decorated to a T. Max couldn’t help but be a little bit jealous; she didn’t have the time to decorate her own house this year. Christmas lights lit up the bushes and a beautiful green wreath hung on the door.

She rang the doorbell and waited for El to answer.

“Max!” El greeted excitedly.

“Merry Christmas,” Max said, hugging her.

“Come in, there are snacks.”

Max stepped inside. Christmas music played on the stereo, and the living room was covered in red and green. Four stockings were hung on the fireplace, two of which were for Mike and El’s daughters. Garland was everywhere: on the stairs, the mantle, and even on the doorframe from the kitchen to the living room. 

“Wow El, your house looks great.” Max said in awe.

“Thank you, Mike did all the lights.” El replied. “The other guests should be here soon.”

Will and Dustin appeared from the kitchen.

“Hey Madmax,” Dustin said, walking over to Max to give her a hug. 

“Hey Dusty-bun.” Max replied, a wide grin on her face.

Dustin flipped her off. “Hey, that was years ago, okay?”

“Only kidding.” Max replied, laughing. 

“Good to see you Max.” Will said, giving her a hug. The doorbell rang and Mike went to go get it.

“Hey Max,” Mike said as he walked past her to answer the door.

“Hey Mike.”

Max furrowed her brows in confusion as El suddenly grabbed her by the arm and brought her into the kitchen. 

“What’s up?” Max asked after she let go.

“I just wanted to talk with you alone for a bit. How’s Zoey?”

Max’s brows remained furrowed. “Umm…she’s doing fine.”

“Aww, I remember when Sarah was her age. The time just flies by,” El replied, oddly looking behind Max as she finished the sentence.

“What’s behind me?” Max asked. Before Eleven could respond, two arms gripped her shoulders.

“Hey Max,” She heard him whisper. 

Max’s eyes widened in excitement and surprise as she turned around to face Lucas.

“Lucas! What are you doing here?” Max shouted excitedly, wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing him into a tight embrace.

Lucas looked into Max’s eyes and cupped her cheeks “I finished my deployment,” he replied, going in for a kiss. It lasted for a few seconds until Lucas pulled away.

“Is Zoey here?” He asked.

“No, she’s at my mom’s house.” Max replied, looking up at him. “I can call her?”

“I will,” El said. She picked up the phone and dialed the number.

Max turned to Mike. “Did you know?”

Mike smiled, nodding. “Yup.”

Max grinned at him and turned back to Lucas. “I’m glad you’ll be here for Christmas.”

Lucas kissed her cheek. “Me too.”

After about ten minutes of anxious waiting on the couch, Susan rang the doorbell with Zoey in her arms.

“I’ll get it,” Max announced, getting up from the couch. She opened the door. Zoey smiled happily the moment she saw her mom. 

“Thank you so much for watching her,” Max said, taking Zoey from her mom.

“No problem,” Susan walked down the steps to leave. “Love you!”

“Love you” Max replied, closing the door. She bounced Zoey on her hip as she carried her over to Lucas.

“This is your Daddy,” Max said softly.

Lucas’s eyes started to water the moment he saw her. Max had only been able to send him a few pictures throughout his deployment, and none of them compared to really being with her.

“Hi Zoey,” Lucas whispered, grabbing her small hand with his own.

Zoey smiled and reached out to him to hold her. Max happily handed Zoey to her father.

A tear fell down Lucas’s cheek. “She’s so perfect.”

Max wiped the tear away with her thumb and gave Lucas a peck on the lips and gave Zoey a kiss on the head.

“Jesus, this is just like we’re in a Christmas movie.” Max murmured. 

“Merry Christmas!” Dustin said in celebration.

“Merry Christmas!” everyone repeated in unison.


End file.
